223 on a Dillon 550.

[Olddude]

I ordered a 550b last week from Brian Enos. I ordered everything for a 9mm. I am not rolling in the dough so I quit there. I did a little research after and saw that I could use my existing dies. I know I need a conversion kit and the base for the dies. I think the kit comes with something to do with the powder but I am not sure if it is what I need to load the powder. My primer pickups from the 9 will work I think. I don't want a new powder measure but do I need a new bushing?
I would have called him but he says he is to busy to talk (recording). I have more trust in y'all to tell me what I need than what he can sell me.
Thanks and if I wasn't specific enough let me know.
Thanks in advance!

 

[SouthernGA]

Hey OldDude,

With the 550 Press Kit you will get;

The tool head (use your 7/8-14 dies in this tool head)

You will get the powder measure which mounts in the toolhead

The caliber conversion gives the powder funnel which inserts into the powder measure.

With the instructions that you receive with all this it will become more clear.

Good luck and welcome to Dillon reloading.

You will not be disappointed.

 

[YOTESHOOTER]

Have used Dillon products since the mid '70's, and have not been disappointed, you pay for what you get, and usually get more than expected...You will not be disappointed in their products.

 

[1006]

If you want to do 223, all you need to do is order the 223 conversion kit. The kit will consist of a powder funnel to go into you powder dispenser, a shell plate to hold the brass on the press, and the brass buttons that keep the brass from falling out of the shell plate.

The 380 and 223 shell plates and buttons are interchangeable, but the powder funnels are unique. The 9mm and 40S&W shell plates are also the same part; however, the brass buttons and powder funnel are unique. I get away with using the 40 buttons for 9, but the 9 buttons are larger and will cause 40 to jam on the shell plate. You can buy the individual components of each conversion kit from Dillon.

It is hard to load rifle cartridges on a progressive press. The issue is the the trimming process which occurs after resizing.


My process goes like this:

Tumble
Lube
De-cap and size
Trim, clean primer pockets, de-burr and chamfer the case mouth
Tumble or wipe lube off
Remove the sizing die and go Back to the press-- you could keep the size die on a separate tool head.
Prime
Charge
Seat bullet
Crimp or maybe no crimp.

If it is going to need trimming, I normally load it on my single stage press.

 

[1006]

The press comes with a small powder bar--bushing as you call it-- installed for most pistols. It also comes with a a large powder bar that you may install for rifles. The determining factor is just how much VOLUME you need.

 

[Olddude]

Thank you all for the input! You all had some good advice and I think what I learned most is be patient. I will set this up and get use to it and then make a decision on what I need to go forward.
Thanks Again!

 

[kuduman]

The press comes with a small powder bar--bushing as you call it-- installed for most pistols. It also comes with a a large powder bar that you may install for rifles. The determining factor is just how much VOLUME you need.

Just a general comment on switching over to rifle reloading on a Dillon. If you haven't thought this through, then be aware that you still need to lube the cases. So basically, you're going to clean 'em, lube/decap/resize, and then clean 'em again. That is best done on a single stage press, honestly, but you can do it in the first station of a 550. Then... after the lube's cleaned off the cases, you will run them through the Dillon again, this time inserting the primer. Now... what about that pesky tumbling media stuck in the primer holes? Easy. Buy a $10 Lee univeral decap die, and put it in station one. It will push any media out of the flash hole, and save gobs of time.

(Besides, a universal decapper is a really useful thing to have, and I like the $10 Lee far better than the $25 RCBS.)

Another handy tip: A Fenix E01 flashlight fits perfectly in the hole in the toolhead, and lasts lots of hours on one AAA battery. Lights up the cartridge loading area perfectly, too.